Weekly Current Affairs: 01–08 August, 2026 | Assam, National & International News
Introduction
This week saw major developments across goveance, economy, defence, and disaster management. Assam faced serious monsoon flooding with the death toll reaching 82 across districts including Sivasagar, Golaghat, Jorhat, Nagaon and Charaideo, while the Northeast also gained its first Ramsar site (Glaw Lake, Arunachal Pradesh) and a new tiger-corridor conservation mission in Meghalaya. Nationally, the Cabinet cleared four major schemes — Samudra Manthan, PM Surya Sarovar Yojana, the extended PM-KISAN, and GOBARdhan — while RBI held the repo rate steady, GST collections surged, and Parliament expanded the Supreme Court's judge strength. India also posted its best-ever Commonwealth Games 2026 boxing and judo performances. These stories are highly relevant for APSC, Assam TET, UPSC, SSC, and Banking exam preparation.
1. Assam & Northeast State News ⭐
Assam Flood Death Toll Reaches 82; Over 1.9 Lakh Affected
Date: 02–03 August 2026 | Location: Assam (Sivasagar, Golaghat, Jorhat, Nagaon, Charaideo)
The Assam flood death toll rose to 82, with around 1.92 lakh people affected across several districts, the worst-hit being Sivasagar, Golaghat, Jorhat, Nagaon, and Charaideo. Relief and rescue operations continued through the week, and by 3 August the affected population had eased to roughly 1.78 lakh as rainfall reduced and river levels dropped. The floods reflect the recurring monsoon challenge posed by the Brahmaputra river system in the Brahmaputra valley. This is a high-priority Assam-specific current-affairs and disaster-management topic.
BIS Raids Fake Hallmarking Centre at Goalpara, Assam
Date: 08 August 2026 | Body Involved: Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)
BIS raided a fake gold hallmarking centre in Goalpara district, Assam. Hallmarking certifies gold purity under the BIS Hallmarking Scheme, and only BIS-licensed Assaying and Hallmarking Centres may legally certify jewellery purity. The action is part of BIS's consumer-protection enforcement against fraudulent purity certification.
Glaw Lake Becomes India's 101st Ramsar Site — First in Arunachal Pradesh
Date: 04 August 2026 | Location: Lohit district, Arunachal Pradesh | Body Involved: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav announced Glaw Lake, located inside the Kamlang Tiger Reserve and Wildlife Sanctuary, as India's 101st Ramsar Site and Arunachal Pradesh's first. The pristine freshwater lake in the Easte Himalayas supports over 150 tree species and 49 orchid species, with the surrounding landscape home to tiger, leopard, clouded leopard, and snow leopard. India's Ramsar tally has grown from 26 in 2014 to 101 now — a key statistic for Environment & Ecology questions.
Meghalaya Launches 'Mission Clouded Leopard'
Date: 07 August 2026 | Location: Meghalaya | Body Involved: Govement of Meghalaya
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma launched Mission Clouded Leopard to protect the state animal, the Mainland Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa), covering habitat protection, anti-poaching, and community participation. A preliminary survey identified 21 individual clouded leopards in the Balpakram landscape. The species is listed Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and has Schedule I protection under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Panel Calls for Modeisation of Public Libraries in North East India
Date: 02 August 2026 | Location: North East India
A panel called for modeising public libraries across the Northeast, including Assam, to improve literacy and information-access infrastructure, relevant for regional education and cultural policy questions.
2. National Politics, Govement & Inteational Relations
Rajya Sabha Passes Bill Raising Supreme Court Judges from 34 to 38
Date: 07 August 2026
Parliament passed the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026, as a Money Bill, raising the Court's sanctioned strength from 34 to 38 judges (including the CJI) — the first increase since 2019. It replaces a May 2026 Ordinance and was passed amid an Opposition walkout over the Money Bill route.
Govement Clarifies EWS Reservation Eligibility; Opposes Creamy Layer for SC/ST Quotas
Date: 05 & 08 August 2026
The govement clarified the objective and eligibility criteria of the 10% EWS reservation (introduced via the 103rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2019). Separately, it told the Supreme Court the creamy-layer principle — drawn from the Ashoka Kumar Thakur judgment — applies only to OBCs, not SC/ST quotas, since SC/ST reservation rests on historical discrimination rather than economic status alone.
Parliament Passes Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026
Date: 04 August 2026
The amendment makes delayed registration (beyond 2 years) require a Judicial Magistrate First Class order. Birth registration coverage has improved from ~86% (2014) to over 99%, and death registration from 72.5% to 99.4%.
Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) Bill, 2026 Triggers Controversy
Date: 07 August 2026
The ISI Bill proposes goveance changes to the Indian Statistical Institute, founded by P.C. Mahalanobis in 1931, drawing criticism from academics over reduced institutional autonomy.
Special Intensive Revision (SIR): 43.6 Lakh Names Deleted from Jharkhand Electoral Rolls
Date: 07 August 2026
Jharkhand's draft rolls under the Election Commission's ongoing SIR show deletion of about 43.61 lakh names — nearly 16.5% of the state's electors — removing deceased, shifted, and duplicate entries.
Prashant Kishor Wins Bankipur Bypoll, Ending BJP's 30-Year Hold
Date: 04 August 2026 | Location: Bihar
Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor won the Bankipur assembly bypoll in his electoral debut, defeating BJP's Neeraj Kumar Sinha by 19,324 votes — the party's first assembly seat win, and a notable signal in Bihar politics ahead of state elections.
Cauvery Water Dispute Escalates Between Kaataka and Tamil Nadu
Date: 03–04 August 2026
Kaataka CM D.K. Shivakumar appealed to withdraw a proposed 13 August bandh over Cauvery water release to Tamil Nadu, while Tamil Nadu moved the Supreme Court seeking enforcement of the Cauvery Water Management Authority's release decision.
Kaataka Cabinet Expanded with 19 New Ministers
Date: 04 August 2026 | Location: Bengaluru
The Kaataka govement under CM D.K. Shivakumar inducted 19 new ministers in a swearing-in ceremony.
Supreme Court Directs Closure of FIRs Against NEET Protest Students
Date: 04 August 2026
The Supreme Court directed states to close or withdraw FIRs against students involved in the 20 July NEET paper-leak protests, except in grave cases. Separately, the Centre told the Court it is considering shifting NEET-UG to a two-stage format similar to JEE.
Rajya Sabha Passes Appropriation Bill, 2026
Date: 08 August 2026
The Bill authorises withdrawal of ₹54,067.44 crore from the Consolidated Fund of India to regularise Excess Grants for FY 2022-23, a requirement under Article 114.
Har Ghar Tiranga Campaign 2026 Launched
Date: 06–08 August 2026
Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat launched the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign, running 9–17 August ahead of Independence Day; the Department of Youth Affairs also promoted a National Flag of India Quiz 2026 through the MY Bharat platform as part of the campaign.
Govement Assures Christian Bodies FCRA Amendment Bill is Religion-Neutral
Date: 08 August 2026
Union Home Minister Amit Shah assured Christian organisations that proposed FCRA amendments target transparency in NGO foreign-fund utilisation, not any specific community.
PM Launches 'Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan'
Date: 02 August 2026
PM Modi launched a 100-week nationwide Jan Bhagidari campaign against youth drug abuse; over 1 crore youth took the pledge on day one across 28,000+ locations, coordinated by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports via MY Bharat. Its state-level launch in Tripura was inaugurated by the Goveor.
India Observes 12th National Handloom Day
Date: 07 August 2026 | Location: Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi
National Handloom Day, marking the 1905 Swadeshi Movement anniversary, was observed with President Droupadi Murmu as Chief Guest; 22 awards (3 Sant Kabir Handloom Awards, 19 National Handloom Awards for 2025) were presented. The sector supports over 35 lakh weavers, over 70% of them women.
Dr. Ambedkar Foundation Schemes Merged with Centrally Sponsored Scheme
Date: 08 August 2026
The Foundation's Inter-Caste Marriage and Atrocity Victims Relief schemes were merged into a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, effective 31 March 2023.
Census 2011 Data: SC Representation in Central Govement Services at 17.14%
Cited in a parliamentary response, relevant for social-justice and representation questions.
DDU-GKY 2.0 Progress Reviewed; NeVA Implementation Challenges Discussed
Date: 04–05 August 2026
Rural Development MoS Dr. Pemmasani Chandrasekhar called for timely implementation and digital reforms in DDU-GKY 2.0 (skill-linked rural placement scheme). Separately, Parliament discussed implementation challenges in the National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA), which digitises state legislative proceedings.
3. Inteational Relations
Nauru Renames Itself Republic of Naoero
Date: 31 July 2026
Pacific nation Nauru officially changed its name to the Republic of Naoero, confirmed by President David Adeang, following a May 2026 constitutional amendment to restore indigenous identity. The UN was informed on 26 June 2026; the country code NRO is unchanged, and citizens are now called dei-Naoero.
Indian-Flagged Vessel Attacked in the Red Sea; All 13 Crew Rescued
Date: 05 August 2026
An Indian-flagged merchant vessel with 13 Indian nationals was attacked off Yemen; all crew were safely rescued, and the MEA condemned the targeting of commercial shipping in the Red Sea.
India Hosts Second BRICS Anti-Corruption Working Group Meeting
Date: 04–05 August 2026 | Location: Hyderabad
Held under India's BRICS Presidency, alongside the Expert Network on Asset Recovery Meeting, focused on strengthening cross-border anti-corruption cooperation.
India and Sri Lanka Finalise Bilateral Social Security Agreement
Date: 08 August 2026
Concluded during Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri's Colombo visit, the agreement exempts temporarily employed workers from dual social-security contributions; both sides also advanced FTA-update talks, and India extended Rupee credit lines for Sri Lankan railway and livestock projects.
PM Modi's Calls with US Vice President, Israeli PM Netanyahu; Uzbek FM Visits President
Date: 03, 06, 08 August 2026
PM Modi held telephone calls with the US Vice President and Israeli PM Netanyahu; separately, Uzbekistan's Foreign Minister called on the President, and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal invited Indian and Uzbek businesses to co-invest and co-manufacture, calling for doubling bilateral trade at the India-Uzbekistan Business Forum.
4. Economy & Banking
India's July GST Collections Surge 15.4% to ₹2.11 Lakh Crore
Date: 01 August 2026
Domestic GST revenue rose to ₹1.45 lakh crore and import GST rose 28.8% to ₹66,511 crore; net collections after refunds stood at ₹1.81 lakh crore. April–July FY27 gross collection reached ₹8.43 lakh crore, with Haryana recording the highest state-wise growth at 25%.
India's Fiscal Deficit Hits ₹3.1 Trillion in Q1 FY27
Date: 01 August 2026
This is 18.2% of the FY27 fiscal deficit target of ₹16.96 trillion; net tax revenue was ₹6.4 trillion, non-tax revenue ₹3.8 trillion, and total expenditure ₹13.6 trillion. The govement retained its 4.3%-of-GDP deficit target.
India's Forex Reserves Climb to $682.35 Billion
Date: Week ended 24 July 2026
Reserves rose by $6.12 billion, with Foreign Currency Assets at $555.93 billion and gold reserves up $1.31 billion, while SDR holdings and the IMF Reserve Position declined slightly.
Centre Releases Additional ₹1.09 Lakh Crore as Tax Devolution to States
Date: 03 August 2026
An extra instalment under Finance Commission recommendations, strengthening states' fiscal position.
RBI Keeps Repo Rate Unchanged at 5.25% for Fourth Consecutive Time
Date: 05 August 2026
The MPC under Goveor Sanjay Malhotra kept the repo rate at 5.25% (SDF 5.00%, MSF/Bank Rate 5.50%), stance neutral, projecting 6.7% real GDP growth and 5.00% CPI inflation for 2026-27, citing West Asia tensions as a caution factor.
RBI to Introduce Polymer Banknotes from FY 2027-28
Date: 07 August 2026
Subject to successful trials; polymer notes last longer, resist counterfeiting, and are already used in Australia, Canada, and the UK.
RBI Classifies Tata Sons as NBFC-Upper Layer
Date: 08 August 2026
Under the Scale-Based Regulatory Framework, subjecting Tata Sons to stricter capital and goveance norms as a systemically important NBFC, and raising expectations of a possible future stock-exchange listing.
Govement Advances Bankers' Books Evidence Bill, 2026
Date: 06 August 2026
Aims to allow electronic banking records as court evidence, relevant to cyber-fraud and digital-transaction cases.
Cabinet Approves Samudra Manthan — National Offshore Exploration Scheme (₹84,084 Crore)
Date: 01–02 August 2026
Runs till FY 2030-31: ₹28,534 crore for offshore seismic data, ₹43,200 crore for 60 deepwater exploration wells (up to 50% govement support or ₹675 crore/well), ₹10,000 crore for offshore infrastructure hubs, and ₹2,000 crore for Oil & Gas Manufacturing Zones. Aims to expand hydrocarbon resources from 1.6 to 2.2 billion TOE.
Cabinet Extends PM-KISAN Till 2030-31 with ₹3.15 Lakh Crore Outlay
Date: 01 August 2026
Eligible farmer families continue receiving ₹6,000/year in three instalments via DBT; over ₹4.47 lakh crore has been disbursed through 23 instalments since the scheme's 2019 launch.
Cabinet Approves GOBARdhan Scheme (₹23,731 Crore)
Date: 07 August 2026
Runs 2026-27 to 2035-36, aiming to increase Compressed Biogas production nearly tenfold from organic waste; City Gas Distribution companies must meet CBG blending targets rising from 3% (FY27) to 5% (FY29 onward), with a stable administered price of ₹2,110/MMBTU.
MSME (Amendment) Bill, 2026 Passed; Container Train Operators Get Single All-India Licence
Date: 05 & 07 August 2026
Parliament passed the MSME Development (Amendment) Bill updating classification/regulation; separately, the Railways allowed container train operators to run across all routes under one licence, easing logistics operations.
MSP for Crops and KCC-MISS Credit Scheme Assessed
Date: 03–04 August 2026
A parliamentary response addressed Minimum Support Prices recommended by the CACP; a third-party assessment found every ₹1 invested under KCC-MISS contributes ₹2.30 to agricultural value addition.
5. Science & Technology
ICAR Develops India's First Indigenous African Swine Fever (ASF) Vaccine
Date: 05–06 August 2026
Developed by ICAR-NIHSAD, Bhopal — a live attenuated vaccine (MA-104 cell line, attenuated ASFV Genotype II) for pigs above 8 weeks, dedicated to the nation by Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. ASF has near-100% pig mortality and has caused heavy losses in the Northeast since 2020.
Private Sector Crosses 50% of India's Total R&D Spending for First Time
Date: 07 August 2026
Private industry accounted for 51.8% of India's R&D expenditure in 2023-24 (Department of Science and Technology data), overtaking combined govement spending and now employing more core researchers than govement institutions.
IBM and Sarvam Partner to Build India's Sovereign AI
Date: 01 August 2026
IBM will provide its Sovereign Core platform; Sarvam contributes multilingual and voice AI models, targeting banking, healthcare, and public services with a focus on data security and AI goveance.
New Catfish Species Named After Tigress Khairi
Date: 01 August 2026 | Location: Budhabalanga River, Odisha
Pseudolaguvia khairii, published in Zootaxa on 26 July 2026, is named after conservationist Saroj Raj Choudhury's famous tigress Khairi, highlighting Similipal landscape biodiversity.
IIT Gandhinagar Research on Indigenous High-Strength Aluminium Alloys; Nuclear SMR Questions in Parliament
Date: 05 August 2026
IIT Gandhinagar's research targets defence, aerospace, and strategic-sector alloys. Separately, Parliament discussed the Nuclear Energy Mission and deployment of Bharat Small Modular Reactors (SMRs).
PSB Hackathon Grand Finale Held at IIT Gandhinagar; TRAI Revamps 'MyCall' App
Date: 03 & 07 August 2026
The PSB Hackathon brought together young innovators on banking-sector challenges; TRAI's revamped MyCall app lets consumers assess voice call quality through feedback.
6. Environment & Geography
Kerala Rains and Landslides: Death Toll Rises to 15
Date: 31 July – 04 August 2026
Extremely heavy rainfall (320 mm at Ayyankunnu, Kannur) triggered landslides and flash floods; 5,792 people were shifted to 209 relief camps, with Pathanamthitta, Idukki, Wayanad, Kottayam, Kozhikode, and Kannur worst-hit and IMD orange alerts issued.
Supreme Court: 10-km Mining Buffer Applies to All Wetland Reserves
Date: 04–05 August 2026
The ruling extends mining-exclusion safeguards uniformly across all wetland reserve categories, strengthening ecological protection nationwide.
PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana Crosses 50 Lakh Rooftop Solar Installations
Date: 04 August 2026
A milestone for India's flagship household rooftop-solar subsidy scheme under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
Cabinet Approves PM Surya Sarovar Yojana — Floating Solar (₹5,070 Crore)
Date: 01–02 August 2026
Targets 5,000 MW of floating solar capacity by 2030-31 on reservoirs, lakes, and dams, with mandatory 2-hour energy storage (10,000 MWh total) and ₹1 crore/MW central assistance after commissioning. India currently has only ~700 MW against a potential of over 102 GW.
All Districts of Rajasthan Covered Under National Horticulture Mission
Date: 04 August 2026
Reflects expanding scheme coverage under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
PM E-DRIVE Scheme: ₹2,000 Crore for EV Public Charging Stations
Date: 04 August 2026
Pan-India allocation under the Ministry of Heavy Industries to build EV charging infrastructure.
7. Awards, Honours, Culture & Health
Ajit Doval Receives Lokmanya Tilak National Award 2026
Date: 01 August 2026 | Location: Pune
Conferred by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, recognising NSA Ajit Doval's contribution to national security and strategic affairs; the award carries a citation, memento, and ₹1 lakh cash prize.
Gujarat's Pithora Painting Receives GI Tag
Date: 01 August 2026
The sacred mural tradition of the Rathwa tribal community, depicting deities and village life as offerings to Baba Pithora, now has legal protection against unauthorised imitation, improving market access for tribal artisans.
Indian Railways Transports India's First Live Donor Heart via Vande Bharat Express
Date: 31 July 2026
Train No. 20901 carried a donor heart from Surat to Ahmedabad for transplantation at the U.N. Mehta Institute of Cardiology, with a dedicated Green Corridor from the station to the hospital, coordinated by Railways, RPF, Gujarat Police, and medical teams.
PM Modi Inaugurates Alluri Sitarama Raju Inteational Airport at Bhogapuram
Date: 01 August 2026 | Location: Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh's first greenfield inteational airport post-bifurcation, built at over ₹5,640 crore by GMR Group under PPP, with initial capacity of 6 million passengers (expandable to 40 million); commercial operations begin 17 August 2026. Projects worth ~₹17,900 crore were launched alongside it.
World Lung Cancer Day and World Wide Web Day Observed
Date: 01 August 2026
Lung Cancer Day's 2026 theme is "Together through Lung Cancer"; World Wide Web Day marks Sir Tim Beers-Lee's 1989 invention of the WWW at CERN.
Chandipura Virus Claims 22 Children's Lives in Gujarat; WHO Flags Three Medicines as Carcinogenic
Date: 04–06 August 2026
Chandipura virus (CHPV), a sandfly-boe infection mainly affecting children, has killed 22 in Gujarat this monsoon season. Separately, WHO's cancer research agency classified three widely used medicines as carcinogenic, raising global pharmacovigilance conces.
PGIMER Flag Hoist, ROTTO North's Hat-trick Award, and 16th Organ Donation Day
Date: 03–05 August 2026
Punjab Goveor Gulab Chand Kataria hoisted a 110-foot flag at PGIMER, Chandigarh; PGIMER's ROTTO North won the National Best ROTTO Award for a third consecutive year (fourth overall); and India observed the 16th Indian Organ Donation Day, with MoS Anupriya Patel calling for strengthened donation efforts.
Union Minister Highlights Sowa-Rigpa Traditional Medicine System
Date: 07 August 2026
Ministry of AYUSH's push for Himalayan/Tibetan-belt traditional medicine to gain global evidence-based recognition.
NITI Aayog Report on Strengthening India's Caregiving Workforce
Date: 07 August 2026
"Reimagining Care" recommends a National Carer Council to professionalise caregiving amid India's growing elderly population.
Key Defence & Institutional Appointments
Date: 01–08 August 2026
Varsha Ashok Aglawe became the first woman Director General of the Geological Survey of India (176-year history); K Rajaraman's IFSCA chairpersonship was extended to October 2028; Air Marshal Sandeep Thareja was named DGAFMS; Air Marshal Tejpal Singh became Deputy Chief of Air Staff and Vice Admiral A.N. Pramod became Deputy Chief of Naval Staff; and Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth became the first woman IAF fighter pilot to complete the Fighter Combat Leader course. Air Marshal A K Bharti retired as DCAS after a career including Operation Sindoor media briefings; former Army Chief General V.N. Sharma (14th COAS, 1988–90) passed away at 95.
8. Sports
India's Best-Ever Commonwealth Games 2026 Boxing and Judo Performances
Date: 01–03 August 2026 | Location: Glasgow
India won 7 gold and 3 silver in boxing — its best-ever CWG boxing showing — including golds for Preeti Pawar (54 kg) and Jaismine Lamboria (57 kg), both by 5-0 verdicts. In judo, Harsh Singh (60 kg) and Asmita Dey (48 kg, via Golden Score) became the first Indian man and woman to win CWG judo gold, taking India's judo medal tally to a record four.
Tejaswin Shankar Wins India's First CWG Decathlon Medal; Neeraj Chopra-Yash Vir Deliver Javelin Double Podium
Date: 01 August 2026
Tejaswin Shankar won decathlon bronze (7,976 points) despite chronic patellar tendinitis — his second CWG medal in two different disciplines after 2022 high-jump bronze. Neeraj Chopra (85.83m, silver) and Yash Vir Singh (85.41m personal best, bronze) gave India its first-ever CWG double podium in men's javelin; Sri Lanka's Rumesh Pathirage won gold with a Games Record 89.75m.
Tanvi Sharma Wins Maiden BWF Super 300 Title
Date: 03 August 2026 | Location: Taipei Open
Cabinet Approves Expanded Khelo India Scheme (₹36,441 Crore)
Date: 01–02 August 2026
Combined outlay for Khelo India and enhanced National Sports Federation support, 2026-27 to 2030-31, introducing Emerging Khelo India Athletes (E-KIAs), Khelo India Feeder Schools, a National Coach Accreditation Board, and a Unified Digital Sports Platform.
National Sports Federation Conclave 2026
Date: 07 August 2026
Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya called for transparent selections and athlete-centric goveance in National Sports Federations.
Practice related MCQs
374 TOTALShowing 2 sample MCQs from this article.
Q. Neeraj Chopra and Yash Vir Singh achieved India's first-ever Commonwealth Games double podium in which event?
Q. Tejaswin Shankar's Commonwealth Games 2026 decathlon bronze made him the first Indian to win CWG medals in how many different athletics disciplines?